Welcome to the '80s, a great time of actresses with big hair, shoulder pads and ripped sweatshirts. We start with Heather Locklear, best known as catty Amanda Woodward from "Melrose Place." But Locklear was a TV mainstay in the '80s, as bratty Sammy Jo in "Dynasty" and a puffy-haired rookie in "T.J. Hooker." less

Welcome to the '80s, a great time of actresses with big hair, shoulder pads and ripped sweatshirts. We start with Heather Locklear, best known as catty Amanda Woodward from "Melrose Place." But Locklear was a ... more

Photo: Hulton Archive, .

Welcome to the '80s, a great time of actresses with big hair,... Photo-3650460.51412 - Houston Chronicle

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"Pretty Woman" made Julia Roberts a huge star in 1990, but her fame was rising years before, with "Mystic Pizza" (pictured) in 1988 and "Steel Magnolias" in 1989.

"Pretty Woman" madeJulia Roberts a huge star in 1990, but her fame was rising years before, with "Mystic Pizza" (pictured) in 1988 and "Steel Magnolias" in 1989.

If you grew up in the '80s, "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," which starred Phoebe Cates (L) and Jennifer Jason Leigh, surely has a place in your heart.

If you grew up in the '80s, "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," which starred Phoebe Cates (L) and Jennifer Jason Leigh, surely has a place in your heart.

Photo: .

If you grew up in the '80s, "Fast Times at Ridgemont... Photo-3650456.51412 - Houston Chronicle

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Meryl Streep

won an Oscar for 1979's "Kramer vs. Kramer," but it wasn't until the '80s, with "The French Lieutenant's Woman" (pictured) and "Sophie's Choice," when she started showing off her perfect accents and chameleonic acting.

(R) was part of the '80s Brat Pack of young movie actors, but she was a TV icon before that. She played scratchy-voiced Jackie Templeton in the soap "General Hospital." She's pictured with Janine Turner.

Molly Ringwald personifies angsty
teen movies of the ‘80s, having starred in "Sixteen Candles," "The Breakfast Club"
and "Pretty in Pink," all done by director John Hughes. Ringwald is pictured in 1987.

Molly Ringwald personifies angsty teen movies of the ‘80s, having starred in "Sixteen Candles," "The Breakfast Club" and "Pretty in Pink," all done by director John Hughes. Ringwald is pictured in 1987.

Back when TV mini-series were big
events, “The Thorn Birds” was a big deal in 1983, starring Rachel Ward as a young woman
who has a torrid affair with the family priest (Richard Chamberlain, right). It was an epic, sprawling (and now campy?) story set in the Australian outback and based on the novel
of the same name.

Back when TV mini-series were big events, “The Thorn Birds” was a big deal in 1983, starring Rachel Ward as a young woman who has a torrid affair with the family priest (Richard Chamberlain, right). It

Bo Derek was famous as a sex symbol
in cornrows and skimpy swimsuit in 1979, after the movie “10.” That paved
the way for some terrible ‘80s movies that mainly showed off her bod. She's pictured in 1981, promoting her movie "Tarzan, the Ape Man."

Bo Derek was famous as a sex symbol
in cornrows and skimpy... Photo-3650444.51412 - Houston Chronicle

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Fame! I’m gonna live forever! Irene
Cara belted out the theme song of the 1980 movie “Fame,” in which she played
Coco Hernandez, who in this scene, is listening to Bruno tell her why they should form a rock band. The movie spawned a TV series.

Fame! I’m gonna live forever! Irene Cara belted out the theme song of the 1980 movie “Fame,” in which she played Coco Hernandez, who in this scene, is listening to Bruno tell her why they should form a

Winona Ryder (R) had some movie kid roles in the ‘80s, but it wasn’t until the dark teen movie
“Heathers” (pictured) in 1988 that she became famous. Ryder is pictured with (L to R) Shannen Doherty, Kim Walker and Lissane Falk.

Winona Ryder (R) had some movie kid roles in the ‘80s, but it wasn’t until the dark teen movie “Heathers” (pictured) in 1988 that she became famous. Ryder is pictured with (L to R) Shannen Doherty, Kim

Glenn Close (along with Michelle
Pfeiffer) had some terrific movies in the ‘80s, including “Dangerous Liaisons,”
pictured. Her movies exuded the decade's zeitgeist, from boomer nostalgia
in “The Big Chill” to dating anxiety in "Fatal Attraction.” Close (L) is pictured with John Malkovich and Michelle Pfeiffer.

Glenn Close (along with Michelle
Pfeiffer) had some terrific... Photo-3650440.51412 - Houston Chronicle

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Jenilee Harrison stepped in as the
ditzy, pretty blonde on “Three’s Company” after Suzanne Somers left in the early
‘80s. Harrison did her share of physical comedic acting with John Ritter,
because her character, “Cindy Snow,” was supposed to be a klutz.

Farrah Fawcett became famous in the
‘70s through “Charlie’s Angels,” but bolted after one season. She went on to
do the TV drama “The Burning Bed” in 1984 and other stuff. Fawcett, who died in 2009, is pictured in 1985.

Farrah Fawcett became famous in the
‘70s through... Photo-3650437.51412 - Houston Chronicle

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Katey Sagal (second from right) and Christina Applegate
(R) are two actresses having a great time on TV now, with Sagal’s biker drama “Sons of
Anarchy” and Applegate’s sitcom “Up All Night.” Both rose to fame on the acerbic “Married …with Children,” which ran from 1987 to
1997.

If you watched TV in the ‘80s, you
certainly saw the cheesy, popular detective show “Hart to Hart,” starring Stephanie Powers and Robert Wagner as a rich couple
who just wanted to solve murders. It ran from 1979 to 1984.

If you watched TV in the ‘80s, you certainly saw the cheesy, popular detective show “Hart to Hart,” starring Stephanie Powers and Robert Wagner as a rich couple who just wanted to solve murders. It ran

If you watched TV in the ‘80s, you
certainly saw the cheesy,... Photo-3650468.51412 - Houston Chronicle

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Before Helena Bonham Carter started
wearing all those nutty outfits to the red carpet, she looked like this in 1984, the year
before she had her breakthrough role in “A Room with a View.”

Before Helena Bonham Carter started wearing all those nutty outfits to the red carpet, she looked like this in 1984, the year before she had her breakthrough role in “A Room with a View.”

Photo: Terry Disney, .

Before Helena Bonham Carter started
wearing all those nutty... Photo-3650467.51412 - Houston Chronicle

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Long before TV got really dumb with
the Kardashians and Honey Boo Boo, there was “Hill Street Blues,” a smart drama
shouldered by Daniel J. Travanti and Veronica Hamel as cerebral babe lawyer Joyce Davenport. She's second from right in the front. The series ran from 1981 to 1987.

Long before TV got really dumb with
the Kardashians and Honey Boo... Photo-3650438.51412 - Houston Chronicle

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Nastassja Kinski
is a German-born actress who had an award-winning role in the 1979 movie “Tess,”
then enjoyed fame as the object of male desire. She starred in erotic horror movie “Cat People” in 1982 and Wim Wenders’ “Paris,
Texas.”

Nastassja Kinski
is a German-born actress who had an... Photo-3650465.51412 - Houston Chronicle

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Whoopi Goldberg (center) made her
film debut in 1985 in “The Color Purple,” as the unforgettable, abused
Celie. But Goldberg is known more as a comedian and activist. She's pictured in 1986 with Robin Williams (left) and Billy Crystal as fellow hosts for a "Comedy Relief" TV benefit show.

Whoopi Goldberg (center) made her
film debut in 1985 in “The... Photo-3650466.51412 - Houston Chronicle

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Tanya Roberts (right)
came in for the last season of “Charlie’s Angels” in 1980, when the show was
dying and after many of the original and replacement “Angels” had left. It
was the show’s last season. Roberts then became a
Bond girl with Roger Moore in 1985's “A View to a Kill.”

Tanya Roberts (right)
came in for the last season of... Photo-3650464.51412 - Houston Chronicle

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Ally Sheedy

was beautiful and alienated in "The Breakfast Club."

Ally Sheedy

was beautiful and alienated in "The Breakfast Club."

Photo: .

Ally Sheedy was beautiful and alienated in "The Breakfast... Photo-3650461.51412 - Houston Chronicle

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Cher began as a
TV singer and personality in the ‘70s with then-husband Sonny Bono, but became
an acclaimed actress in the ‘80s. She did “Silkwood,” "Mask" and "Moonstruck."

Cher began as a TV singer and personality in the ‘70s with then-husband Sonny Bono, but became an acclaimed actress in the ‘80s. She did “Silkwood,” "Mask" and "Moonstruck."

Photo: Keystone, .

Cher began as a
TV singer and personality in the ‘70s with... Photo-3650386.51412 - Houston Chronicle

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For much of the ‘80s,
Kim Basinger was cast as mostly eye candy, as the Bond girl in “Never Say
Never Again,” erotic object in “9 ½ Weeks,” and “Vicki Vale” in Batman
(pictured). It wasn’t until “L.A. Confidential” in the ‘90s that she had a
great acting role.

"You want fame? Well fame costs!" Those immortal words were spoken by Debbie Allen in the TV series "Fame," which followed the 1980 movie and ran for five years. Can't remember if she was talking to limber dancer Leroy, shaggy keyboardist Bruno or the blond cellist (Lori Singer). But when Allen, a dancer and choreographer, spoke, you listened. Photo is from 1997. less

"You want fame? Well fame costs!" Those immortal words were spoken by Debbie Allen in the TV series "Fame," which followed the 1980 movie and ran for five years. Can't remember if she was talking to limber ... more

Bette Midler was known for her vocal chops, but she's had some great movies, starting with “The
Rose” in 1979. Then came the '80s comedies “Down and Out in Beverly Hills” and “Ruthless
People" and sapfest “Beaches.”

Jo, Blair, Tootie and Natalie –
under the stern tutelage of Mrs. G - were a part of a lot of people’s lives in
the ‘80s through “The Facts of Life.” They were played, respectively by Nancy
McKeon, Lisa Whelchel, Kim Fields, Mindy Cohn and Charlotte Rae. The show ran
from 1979 to 1988. That's Cloris Leachman on the piano.

Who didn’t want Bill Cosby as their
wise, funny dad? His long-running “The Cosby Show” got considerable help from
the actresses who rounded out the family, including Phylicia Rashad as Clair
Huxtable (bottom left), Lisa Bonet as Denise (top left)and Tempestt Bledsoe as Vanessa. The show ran from
1984 to 1992.